How do you teens afford to buy all your gear?

[ras1983]

looking at public profiles of some TB'ers; i noticed that quite a few were born in the late 80's. the thing is that many of them have tons of relatively high end gear listed in their current set up.

i just want to know guys, how do you afford all that great gear????????????????

[Dan1099]

Having next to no bills to pay, parents that spoil, or another source of good income. You'd be suprised what 10$ an hour will buy you when you have nothing to spend it on.

[Martybass]

I wouldn't say my gear is high end, but almost everything I own bass-wise I have paid for with my 'pocket money' job at the local supermarket.

[Petary791]

1990 right here.

And lets just say I count down til my birthday and Christmas.

[Snarf]

I used to play bagpipes at weddings/funerals/parties, and I could easily net $150 on a decent job, $200 for a long one. These were fairly few and far between, but I had enough of them so it added up a fair bit. Haven't done it in a long time though, since leaving the incredibly crappy pipe band involved giving back the on-loan uniform. Of course, my gear isn't amazing (just a Nemesis NC200 combo), but it was $600 semi-new, and then there was my Carvin that cost me $650 (which is now going to be sent for repairs since the truss rod is rattling around in the neck).

[eric234]

well last chritmas i had about 300$ together and bought a 200$ bass and a 50$ amp and for my birthday i got 300$ and then i got my new amp so i did it in a time period of about 8 months now i just have to wait a year to buy a new bass

[Suckbird]

I deliver newspaper, and if i lived in the USA then i could be playing a musicman now...

[Martybass]

Originally Posted by Suckbird

I deliver newspaper, and if i lived in the USA then i could be playing a musicman now...

So true. I sympathise. Bass prices are so high everywhere else compared to America.

[The Antipop]

Just wait until you get llaid off once you start paying bills...

You may just see some basses go

(on a side note, as long as I have my Lado and Cirrus I am more then happy)

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by Suckbird

I deliver newspaper, and if i lived in the USA then i could be playing a musicman now...

....and if I lived in Sweden there would still be 9 months left on my government-funded paternity leave. Every country has its benefits.

Mike

[Nova]

A large chunk of my gear came from Birthday's and Christmas'. Holidays own.

Also, I just graduated. Parents bought me the Ashdown/Avatar rig and I got enough money to order my fretless.

[PunkerTrav]

Originally Posted by Dan1099

Having next to no bills to pay, parents that spoil, or another source of good income. You'd be suprised what 10$ an hour will buy you when you have nothing to spend it on.

Exactly. Making $650 a month goes along way when you don't have to pay rent, taxes, electricity/gas bills, car payments, etc...

I've worked for what I have, but at this stage im my life bass gear and tuition are my only major expenditures.

[paintandsk8]

Originally Posted by Dan1099

Having next to no bills to pay, parents that spoil, or another source of good income. You'd be suprised what 10$ an hour will buy you when you have nothing to spend it on.

Bingo! My parents don't buy me bass stuff, but I am pulling down 10.75/hr at work. 10.75/hr + no bills = plenty of extra cash. I also keep my bass collection down to one at a time. For me it's more important to have one good bass than several mediocre ones. Every time I buy a new bass, I sell the old one, then I just add a little cash and buy something just a little better. After doing this about 4 times I am up to a Warmoth Deluxe 5 and I have never spent more than $200 on an upgrade. So in the end, It doesn't really seem like I have spent all that much on basses.

[Time Divider]

Originally Posted by Nova

Also, I just graduated. Parents bought me the Ashdown/Avatar rig and I got enough money to order my fretless.

Which Ashdown/Avatar rig did you get? And which fretless are you ordering?

[Adam Barkley]

I have had a parttime job constantly since I was fourteen. My only major expense in my car insurance. Everything else is saved. Effect pedals are the only thing I splurg on with any regularity.

[ADbassman]

I've made a lot of pizzas to be able to afford my gear.

[fatbassjazzer]

I played a used fender jazz bass and behringer combo amp for 3 years. I'm sixteen and I saved for about 2 years and got a peavey half stack. But now I have a job making $5.25 an hour. I'm going to get an SX. So I just don't buy really expensive gear.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by PunkerTrav

I've worked for what I have, but at this stage im my life bass gear and tuition are my only major expenditures.

I deliver papers, about £20 a week (Its variable)

[Brendan]

Well, not a teen anymore, but like Dan1099 said, I didn't have bills at the time.

Plus, there are some decent jobs out there if you keep your eyes open and are willing to work for your money (construction/contracting gophering and cleanup pays decent). Of course, I don't have a lot in the way of other things, no home video collection, older car, no fancy stereo or iPod.

I worked for it. Do I wish I would have spent the money on a car, or college? College, maybe. But I've got FAFSA, scholarships, and all that good stuff, so I can still afford the schooling.

Hard work goes a long way. My parents have bought me precisely nothing musically related; they support my playing music, but they're not about to go enabling or anything.

[Eric Moesle]

When I was in junior high school, age 14, I played in my guitar teacher's wedding band. Made around $150 - $250 a night each, two or three times a month. No bills (and too young to drive) and that was all gear-buying money . . .